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ACE Activities Autumn Newsletter – September 2024

A spectacular Summer – and now for Autumn!

Angela Castle and Sally Panrucker at the Ball

We have had a busy summer with fundraising events, outings, agricultural shows and a packed sporting schedule.  The time has just whizzed by and it is hard to believe that we are embarking on our Autumn Schedule already!

Ball guests Dale and Donna Castle

July started with a wonderful ‘Black and White’ themed Summer Ball organised by the amazing Angela Castle and Family.  The ball was held at Blakes Hall with entertainment from Phil Straughan and Stomp Radio with a guest saxophonist.

It was a spectacular evening with an amazing £1,294.98 raised for Ace Activities. Many, many thanks to all involved in making the evening such a success.

Sally Panrucker

Agricultural Shows

First Prize – Best Salad Bowl

Ace ACE Gardening once again surpassed themselves at Toot Hill and Epping Agricultural show winning an array of prizes for best vegetables and a trophy for ‘best salad box’.

The ACE Gardeners worked extremely hard to achieve such fantastic results: a real team effort which would not have been possible without the dedication of one particular volunteer (you know who you are!), top class manure (collected from Chigwell Riding Trust) and regular watering from a team of volunteers in the evenings and weekends!

Fundraising Barbecue and Cheque presentation for ACE Upcycling

Maddie Cole performing at the Barbecue

Once again Riverside Timber Recycling Project held a Fundraising Event at the Timber yard. It was a lovely afternoon with a Turkish style barbecue and entertainment from Maddie Cole and the lovely Leanne Hollington

Sincere thanks to all those involved for making it an enjoyable and truly heart-warming event and raising an incredible £2,000 for Ace Activities.

Sam and Rebecca enjoying the day

Earlier in the summer ACE Activities received an order for a giant insect hotel and planters for Breyer Group plc.  They were so pleased with the products (all made with recycled timber) that they decided to pay ACE Upcyclers £500 for the products – £200 over the asking price!

The ACE Upcyclers with the cheque from Breyer Group

Hands Up To Music performance

Our fabulous singing and signing group performed their renowned ‘Cockney Ding Dong Sing-a-long’ at Woodland Grove Care Home complete with our ACE Friend and pearly queen Teresa Watts. Everyone had a brilliant time and it was good to see so many smiley faces! 

There were also cheque presentations from Epping Rotary and Epping Town Council (ETC) respectively. ACE Activities were lucky enough to be chosen as beneficiaries of both Epping Rotary and ETC recent fun raising events.  Sincere thanks to Councillors Christine Burgess and Barbara Scruton.

ACE Sports

ACE Sports had a great summer of many different sporting activities, including football, badminton, dance fitness class and boccia.

When they were not at Grange Farm they have enjoyed sporting trips to North Weald Par 3 Golf, Club Redbridge Cycling Centre and Lee Valley Boating Centre.

Trip to Southend-on-Sea

September the 12th bought the ACE Sports and Gardening members on their Annual Trip to Southend and a fun time was had by all.  Fortunately, the weather was on our side this year. We enjoyed our traditional walk (or train ride) up the pier, fish and chips, and for some a quick paddle in the sea!

As ever, our Shirley was star of the day making friends in high places with the Mayor of Southend, Ron Woodley.

Cooking with Confidence recipes

With cosy Autumn nights approaching what is better than a warming Pumpkin Soup!   We have had a bumper harvest of pumpkins this year and are sure to be making  lots of this delicious Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup!

Serves 6.

Ingredients

2 onions

Pumpkin (approx. 550g)

Sweet potato (the same weight as the pumpkin)

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon of ground cumin (or cumin seeds)

1 litre of vegetable stock

Oil

Salt and Pepper

Viv Davies with a pumpkin from the ACE Allotment

Method

1. Peel and chop the onion.

2. Peel, remove seeds and dice the pumpkin.

Tip: Put the uncooked pumpkin into the microwave oven for 1 – 2 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes.  Now it will be easier to peel and chop.

3. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes.

4. Put the oil into a large saucepan.  Fry the onion for 2 or 3 minutes.

5. Add the pumpkin, sweet potato, cinnamon and cumin to the pan.  Cook for 1 minute.

6. Add vegetable stock, salt and pepper.

7. Simmer for 20 – 25 minutes.  The vegetables will be tender.

8. Blend with a hand blender or a liquidiser. It will be thick and smooth.

Optional:  You can swirl a drop of cream or coconut cream on the top of the soup.

Sprinkle the top with pumpkin seeds (you can roast the ones from inside of the pumpkin if you wish to) and fresh herbs.

Upcoming Events

4th October – Volunteer thank you at Grange Farm Centre

25th October – Halloween Karaoke with ‘Hands up to Music’ at Grange Farm Centre

8th December – Christmas Market at Theydon Bois Village Hall

6th to 9th December – Christmas Tree Festival at St John’s Church, Epping 

20th December – Christmas Party at Theydon Bois Village Hall

For more details on all of these events, see the Events page

And finally, ACE team member Matthew Weaver is a budding author, and has written some short stories about an American police officer, Mr Buzzcut. Read some of his stories here!


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Comments

2 responses to “ACE Activities Autumn Newsletter – September 2024”

  1. John Price avatar

    Great newsletter Sally !
    Save some of the pics for our next climate magazine.

    Now I’ll have to try and do one….
    John

  2. Sally Brooks avatar
    Sally Brooks

    Always good to read your news…such a fantastic Project!

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